


He Is Beauty, He is Grace

by Cup_aTea



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: (one sided at least), Enemies to Friends, Human Disaster Clint Barton, M/M, Mandatory Fun Day, Naked Clint Barton, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 02:23:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19714381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cup_aTea/pseuds/Cup_aTea
Summary: Bucky watched in disgust as Barton fell backwards into a vat of chili paste while dodging a hit.  The man surged upward a moment later, dripping red, and knocked his opponent back with his bow.“Tell me why we need these people again?  This guy is a hot mess,” Bucky said over the comm.





	He Is Beauty, He is Grace

**Author's Note:**

> Am I late to this party? My fill for Mandatory Fun Day prompt: "I'm not a hot mess, I am a spicy disaster!"

Bucky had no idea why Steve thought they had needed more help on this mission. The Avengers were enough—Captain America, Falcon, Iron Man, occasionally the combined strength of Banner and Thor, not to mention Bucky himself. Steve said they needed to expand their skill set when he invited the Black Widow and Hawkeye to join them on the mission. Bucky vehemently disagreed. The Widow certainly had talent, but her partner seemed no better than a circus act. His fighting style was more like acrobatics, but for as graceful as the man seemed, Bucky had watched him trip over himself no less than five times as he moved through the processing plant.

Bucky watched in disgust as the archer fell backwards into a vat of chili paste while dodging a hit. The man surged upward a moment later, dripping red, and knocked his opponent back with his bow. 

“Tell me why we need these people again? This guy is a hot mess,” Bucky said over the comm. 

“Bucky,” Steve said admonishingly. 

“Hey, I resent that,” Barton said as he hauled himself out of the vat. “I’m not a hot mess, I am a spicy disaster.”

He pulled two chili drenched arrows from his quiver and shot them in quick succession, taking down two guys coming up behind Steve. Bucky gritted his teeth. Watching Steve’s back was _his_ job. 

“Speaking of which,” Barton said, dropping his weapon, “I hope you guys have favorable opinions about fighting in the buff because I am getting pepper in sensitive places.”

Before Bucky’s eyes Barton started stripping right there on the warehouse floor. He pulled off his sopping clothes and they made a wet sound as they hit the ground. Bucky made an incredulous noise as Barton then pulled his boots back on before grabbing his bow and quiver. 

“Idiot,” the Widow muttered fondly in Russian. 

Bucky silently agreed. He tried to ignore the mostly naked idiot climbing to get a better vantage and instead focused on making sure he had Steve and Sam’s backs. The sooner they stopped these AIM assholes, the happier he’d be. 

—-

Bucky’s foot tapped as he leaned against the wall of the briefing room. Barton and Romanoff were just arriving. Everyone had cleaned off when they arrived on base, but Barton had still been showering by the time Bucky had redressed to head for the debrief. Now he finally arrived, wearing soft sweatpants and whining to Romanoff about his sensitive skin. His hair looked effortlessly tousled, and it irritated Bucky just to look at it.

“Romanoff, Barton, glad you could join us,” Steve said, acknowledging them from the front of the room. Bucky allowed himself a little smile as he waited for Steve to send them packing after Barton’s ridiculous performance.

Instead Steve said, “I think that went really well. I’d like to talk to you about joining us on a more permanent basis.”

“What?!” Bucky said before he could stop himself.

“We wouldn’t have been able to infiltrate AIM’s operation without your skills and you definitely proved you can think on your feet,” Steve continued.

“Are you kidding, Steve? This guy’s a disaster,” Bucky said. “Seriously Stark, where did you even find these guys? He uses a paleolithic weapon for fuck’s sake.”

“You’re a paleolithic weapon,” Barton muttered. 

“He tripped over his own feet, he nearly shot Sam—“

“Took out the guy who was sneaking up behind him, thank you,” Barton said more heatedly.

“—and then he decided to finish the fight naked because he couldn’t handle a little hot sauce on his junk. You seriously think we need help like this, Stevie?”

“Hey, maybe if you’ve got a problem with me, you should take it up with _me_ ,” Barton said.

“Why don’t you both take it outside,” Steve said with a glare. “Get it out of your system because I need you both ready to go.”

Bucky pushed away from the wall angrily and just barely refrained from stomping out of the room. He heard Barton’s chair scrape on the floor as he stood up and then they were out in the hall with door closing solidly behind them.

“What’s your problem, Barnes?” Barton said as soon as they were alone. “You think I’m not a good enough sniper? Not up to your Army standards?”

“Damn right you’re not,” Bucky said. “Doing backflips in the middle of a fight. Joking around like it’s some kind of game.”

“Ever think you’re taking it too seriously? Maybe you should lighten up, Barnes.”

“ _I_ watch my team’s back. We don’t _need you,”_ Bucky spat. He realised he was standing toe to toe with Barton, and he didn’t even care.

“Ah,” said Barton, rocking back on his heels. “So that’s what it is.”

His shoulders were easy and relaxed, and it was pissing Bucky off.

“What?” he said angrily.

“I’m not trying to take your place, Barnes, just trying to increase the team’s success.”

“Our success rate is just fine,” Bucky growled, shoving Barton. He went easily as Bucky pushed him. When his back hit the wall, he still met Bucky’s gaze steadily.

“I know how’d I feel if someone else was watching Natasha’s back,” Barton said. “Nobody watches it but me.”

His tone sounded familiar. It was the same way that Bucky’s sounded when he talked about Steve.

“I’m not trying to take that away from you,” Barton said. “I’m just trying to help. If that means doing backflips to distract the bad guys so you can shoot them from the shadows, then so be it.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Bucky said. He could only see sincerity in Barton’s eyes.

“Oh, I know. Natasha’s already lectured me about fighting without my body armor. It’s like she doesn’t understand that this hot bod is my greatest weapon,” Barton said, running his hands down his sides.

“Yeah, you looked real intimidatin’ running around with nothin’ but your boots on,” Bucky drawled. He could feel his body relaxing as the anger started to drain out of him.

“Nice of you to notice, Barnes,” Barton smirked. Then he held out his hand. “Friends? Teammates at least?”

Bucky grasped his hand. “I watch Steve’s back.”

“And I help,” Barton said, rolling his eyes. “Just, y’know, to make sure he doesn’t die. I’m not trying to come between your epic bromance, Barnes.”

“Stevie and I ain’t like that,” Bucky said with a frown.

“Not sure you get what bromance means, Barnes,” Barton said. He looked down pointedly. “You gonna let go of my hand?”

Bucky dropped it. Barton grinned, his eyes dancing.

“Were the boots the only thing you noticed?” Barton said.

The answer to that was definitely no. Even covered in drying red paste, there had been no denying that Barton looked after his body. And that he was very…well proportioned. Not that Bucky was ready to admit that.

“Should probably get back to the briefing,” he said.

“If you want,” Barton said. “But if you wanted something else…”

He hooked an ankle behind one of Bucky’s.

“Steve’ll be disappointed if we don’t turn up,” Bucky said, but it didn’t sound convincing even to himself. He realised he was starting to lean into Barton’s space.

“He told us to get it out of our systems.” Barton’s foot trailed higher up the back of his leg. “I can think of something that’ll burn off a little tension.”

Bucky swallowed. “I thought your skin was too sensitive to have anything touching it.

“I think this’ll be more of a ‘hurts so good’ situation,” Barton said, looking at Bucky through his lashes. “How long do you think it’ll take to get you out of my system, Barnes?”

Bucky didn’t know, but as he grabbed Barton’s hand again to pull him toward his quarters, he was prepared to find out. 


End file.
